Public prosecutor wants three months prison for chair Student Council Pellikaan, he has now been released
Noah Pellikaan is suspected of throwing stones and spraying paint and water at the police during the riots on the Binnengasthuis grounds. The CSR chairman has been in custody since last week because he did not want to reveal his identity in court. His case has been postponed again, but now he can await the decision in freedom.
Once again, the case against CSR chairman Noah Pellikaan has been postponed by the Amsterdam court. But an important difference with last week’s ruling is that he can now await it in freedom. Because he concealed his identity last week, there was a high risk of flight, but that danger has now passed, the court ruled this afternoon. After the judge’s ruling, Pellikaan embraced his lawyer Krit Zeegers. In the public gallery, where many CSR members were present once again, people immediately looked forward to the return of their chairperson. “We can see him again tomorrow!”
Three police witnesses
The case is being postponed again because the defense wants to question three police officers who previously stated that they had seen Pellikaan throwing stones. These statements are the only evidence for this. On the other hand, there are supporting images of someone spraying red paint and water at the police batons, which Pellikaan is also suspected of. The CSR chairman acknowledged doing this. However, throwing stones appears to have been decisive in the Public Prosecution Service’s sentence – three months in prison. All the more reason for lawyer Zeegers to want to hear the police officers as witnesses.
It is still unknown when this will happen. Nor is it clear what a possible conviction of the CSR chairman could mean for the discussions with the UvA about the recent demonstrations. The CSR previously lost confidence in the Executive Board due to the “harsh police violence” on the campuses. The UvA then stated that it wanted to continue discussions with the CSR.
After P.’s identity became known - the Public Prosecution Service linked the court drawing to a photo of Pellikaan in Folia, and AD and Het Parool reported this week about the CSR chairman - the UvA informed the latter newspaper that they did not want this date because the case is still before the courts. So it will remain that way for a while.
Queer activist
Before Pellikaan, it was Samer A.’s turn to appear in court. He was one of the people dressed in black who went on the rampage in REC-ABC during the occupation of May 13th. NOS revealed that he is a Palestinian asylum seeker from the AZC in Hardenberg. In court, it also appears that he is a queer activist who occasionally teaches gender studies at the UvA without pay. The situation in Gaza is close to his heart, as he has family members who have died there. He had to do something, he explains to the judge, with a sob in his voice.
This resulted in the destruction of two screens and a coffee machine in the hall of REC-ABC. Videos clearly show how he wrecks the furniture at the UvA. The damage, partly due to his actions, amounts to one and a half million euros, says the Public Prosecutor. A little later, A. was arrested on Dam Square. The arrest was harsh, resulting in a swollen face and painful limbs. He also still suffers from it.
There was discussion in the courtroom as to whether A. was the person visible in the images. His lawyer believes he is not. However, the Public Prosecution Service points to the color of the shirt and undershirt worn by the figure in the images, which corresponds to what A. was wearing when he was arrested. The fact that A. subsequently admitted to having had a balaclava in his pocket – “for the rain,” he stated - clearly did not speak in his favor.
The court found proof of his involvement to be sufficiently proven and imposed a two-month prison sentence on him, in line with the Public Prosecution Service’s demand. Only one sentence was suspended. The judge’s ruling drew a lot of cheering behind the glass of the public gallery. Slogans such as “Tout le monde, je deteste la police” and “No peace, no justice” were heard. The members of the court were also loudly called fascists.
The judge watched it visibly with dismay.
